A Bittersweet Classic - Back to 2004

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Where is it written that you can't share a Throwback Thursday image on a Friday? I totally missed sharing this yesterday, and it's too good to leave it in the stash.

This photograph is bittersweet, but it's still a pretty special memory. It was taken at breakfast the day of Don Blair's funeral in Utah. And while there are no words to describe how much I miss "Big Daddy," nothing changes the power of the legacy of friendships he left behind.

Here's the backstory: We were all in Murray, UT, for Don's funeral. His favorite breakfast place every morning, along with his son Gary and a whole bunch of local buddies, was Amber's. They were regulars, and at some point, somebody had a sign made up honoring "The Breakfast Club." So, a bunch of us from the photo industry made it a point to grab breakfast together.

There's one more sad reminder that time never stands still. The industry has lost four talented people from this photograph over the last sixteen years - Ken Whitmire, Terry Deglau, Sam Pallia, and Roy Madearis. The pandemic has given us something we NEVER have enough of - TIME. Don't squander this downtime. Make it a point to stay in touch with people you care about, regardless of how long it's been since you caught up to each other.

Memory is the diary we all carry about with us.
Unknown Author

This is an amazing industry filled with incredible artists, managers and educators. And if my memories are my diary, I've got volumes of stories I've collected over the years and many of them are thanks to the people in that photograph above.

Wishing everybody a terrific weekend and time to fill that diary of yours with more great memories.